Page 124 of Cowboy Heat

Guidry hesitates, then he’s yelling too.

“I didn’t kill Jon!”

“No.I did! Because of you!”

I’m missing a mighty heap of information.

Doesn’t matter because what I know is that Alice’s aggression had been squarely on me a second ago.

And every moment I’m not checking on Kissy, I’m wasting time.

“Alice, put the gun down and help me figure this all out,” I say. “No one is going to know what he did if you just shoot him.”

She doesn’t move her gaze from him, but I know she’s talking to me when she responds.

“He’s not the man you think he is. He’s not some savior or God here.” She almost snarls next. “And you being here with him now surely doesn’t look good on you either. At least now, the town will know where you stand. All of y’all are trying to tear this place down together. The old Bayou Cowboys would have already runhimout! Especially after you shot me, one of your closest friends, just because I was at the wrong place at the wrong time!”

What I don’t know could fill a book. I’m not too proud to acknowledge that. But what Alice doesn’t know about me, could at the very least, fill a boot.

Before we’d found ourselves outside of Low Low, Guidry’s shot over me in the lobby had gone right into the sheriff’s shoulder. I’d half-expected a gunfight to ensue after that, but instead, the sheriff had just dropped. His gun, his body, his gusto. He’d deflated right there, a man beaten at a game I didn’t know the rules to. But Guidry had. He’d offered me his hand and pulled me to my feet with a warning.

“You don’t have to trust me, but if you want to stay alive, I’m guessing you don’t wanna trust him neither.”

I’d been angry but listened. Mainly because the sheriff hadn’t tried to persuade me into believing that he was a victim.

Though I’d been itching after one question and one answer.

“Where’s Kissy?” I’d asked when it was clear no bullet was coming for me.

Guidry’s face had contorted. He hadn’t known she’d been taken. I’d filled him in, minus where Kissy had begun her morning. She deserved privacy, especially from him. Guidry had done a lot of cussing as he’d taken the sheriff’s gun and pulled a zip tie out of his pocket to bind his wrists.

“I’m guessin’ this one here knows, don’t you Bailey?” he’d said, tightening the plastic. “Seems you been moonlightin’ on me. Seein’ how you didn’t do your job with the grave. I saw the lady detective crawlin’ all over it when you should have been covering it.”

The sheriff was bleeding but not bad. His gunshot wound looked more of a graze. Either way, it hadn’t kept him quiet at that.

I’d grabbed the gun then.

“You killed Dan Cleary,” I told him.

He’d snorted.

“Sure as sure didn’t, but I wouda’ loved to see that redhead’s freckles when he’d seen him lying there. Though, way I heard it, you got Kissy in the way of that.” He’d turned angry. “Bringing her in got her a target on her. If anything happens to her, not a gun or bullet gonna stop me from killing you.”

“Who is he working for?” I’d asked, looking down at Sheriff Roland. “And what do they want with you?”

Guidry had pulled the sheriff up to his feet. Then pushed him back to the door.

“I’ve only seen the redheaded fellah. He came callin’ a while back, threatening me to hand overLa Lumiere. Said they had something on me, so I had to get something on him. Takin’ Dan’s body right from under him gave me something mighty good to keep him gone. So’s I thought.”

Guidry pushed Sheriff Roland hard. I caught the older man’s arm before he fell. “I’m guessing Bailey here switched teams. Figured I’d find ’im here. Now, we’re gonna see how much his boss likes him and get Kissy back.”

“And who’s the boss?”

We’d made it outside by then.

“I don’t know, but I bet they’re already wheelin’ and dealin’ inLa Lumiere. I’m expectin’ we can draw ’em out with ol’ Bailey here. Innit that right, Bailey?”

I’d opened my mouth to protest, though I can’t say I knew exactly what I would say.